1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of sleeping bags that perform a bedding function particularly useful for a human child and which, when placed in a collapsed or stuffed state, can be displayed on a shelf or the like, and/or can be transported on the back of a person or child in the manner of a backpack.
2. Description of the Related Art
While sleeping bags, including those that resemble fictional characters, known animals, dolls, or other characters have been provided for use by children, and while backpacks for use by children are known, the need remains in the art for a combined sleeping bag and backpack wherein the appearance of the unfolded sleeping bag is entertaining to a child, and wherein the folded, stuffed, or collapsed sleeping bag forms a backpack that can be set on a shelf or the like for display in a manner to entertain the child, and wherein the folded, stuffed, or collapsed sleeping bag can be carried on the back of a child that is both pleasing and acceptable to child.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 300,681 provides a combination animal back rest and sleeping bag, and U.S. Design Pat. No. 365,485 provides a sleeping bag with pillow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,124 provides a backpack and sleeping bag combination, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,833 provides a convertible article that provides sleeping bag, jacket and carrying bag utility.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,734 provides a sleeping bag that has an animated-object pouch, such as a cat-shaped pouch, that is located on an exterior surface of the sleeping bag. When the pouch is pulled inside out, the sleeping bag fills the pouch, and the animated object appears as a three-dimensional object. In an embodiment, the animated object is a knapsack having interior straps. When the knapsack is pulled inside out, the straps of the knapsack are for use by a child to carry the knapsack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,131 provides a doll-shaped sleeping bag wherein the head of the doll forms a pillow.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,344 provides an animal toy having an openable abdominal cavity that holds baby-size animals, thus simulating a pregnant animal toy. A backpack container provides a bed or sleeping bag for the animal toy. When the animal toy is inserted into the backpack container, the animal toy""s head protrudes from the backpack container.
The combination sleeping bag/backpack device of this invention is constructed and arranged to amuse, entertain, and be of general interest to a human child; for example, a child in the 2 to 8 year old range although the invention is not limited to use by those in that particular age group.
The characters that are represented by an unfolded state of the combination device of the invention (i.e., by the device""s generally flat sleeping bag state) are that of a character that is lying in an extended state; for example, but without limitation to, an upward facing animal such as a bear, a leopard, a walrus, a gorilla, or a bull dog.
Compatible with sleeping bag use, the interior human body containing portion of the combination device is preferably made of a cloth such as flannel or a flannel-like material, and the exterior surface is preferably formed by a polar fleece material and/or a tricot material. While preferred embodiments of the invention are intended for sleeping bag use at relatively mild ambient temperatures, the spirit and scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto.
Pockets that are manually closable, such as by way of zippers, snaps, buttons, or Velcro-type hook and loop fabric fasteners are located outside of the device sleeping area, thus providing pockets for a child to store items of interest, these items being readily available to the child as the child occupies the sleeping bag portion of the device.
The sleeping bag portion of the device is permanently attached to a top-disposed, three-dimensional, and generally hollow head of the character, and this sleeping bag portion easily stuffs into a stuff pouch that is provided by the interior hollow cavity of the head, thus making it easy for the child to convert the device into a stuffed character head that can be placed on a surface for display. The rear portion of the character head (i.e., the back of the head portion) includes shoulder straps that facilitate carrying the stuffed character head in the manner of a backpack as the upright face of the character head faces to the rear of the child.
A toy-size sleeping companion or toy character and a small battery operated flashlight, such as a penlight or a squeeze light, may be further provided for the amusement of the child. For example, the toy character can releasably clip to the backpack, and a penlight can be releasably attached to the arm, leg, or paw of the toy character by the use of a Velcro hook/loop fastener.
The invention provides a combined child""s sleeping bag, item of display and backpack that resembles a character well know to children; for example, an animal, a doll, or a cartoon character. A head portion of the character faces upward during sleeping bag use, and an interior portion of the sleeping bag immediately under the character head opens to form a pillow pouch into which a pillow can be removably inserted during sleeping bag use. During non-sleeping bag use, the base of the character head opens to form a nylon fabric lined stuff pouch into which the body of the character can be stuffed, this stuffing operation forming a relatively broad and flat base for the character head. This flat base can be used to support the stuffed character head in an upright position for display on a table and the like. The back of the head portion of the stuffed character head includes shoulder straps enabling a child to carry the stuffed character head on the child""s back with the head being upright and facing backward of the child.
As a feature of the invention, the sleeping bag includes two character leg portions at the top of the sleeping bag and two character leg portions at the bottom of the sleeping bag, these leg portions being disposed so they do not interfere with movement of the body of a sleeping child, and at least the top-disposed leg portions being manually openable to facilitate the storage of items that are of interest to the child.
As an additional feature of the invention, a toy-size character is releasably attached, snapped, or clipped to the combined child""s sleeping bag, item of display and backpack, this toy-size character being for the convenience and/or amusement of the child. For example, the child""s sleeping bag may resemble an animal of a given species, and the toy-size character may resemble a small animal of the same species.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description, which description makes reference to the drawing.